Skills shortage

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The construction industry faces a crisis in the next few years because it is struggling to attract enough skilled workers

Sir, Kathryn Hopkins (“Confidence
may not be in short supply, but bricks are”, Apr 3) is right that the
potential shortage of supplies may hold back recovery in the construction
industry. However, equally concerning is the industry’s looming skills time
bomb, with more than 400,000 workers expected to retire over the next five
years and the number of new entrants declining. Already more than two fifths
of construction companies are struggling to recruit workers with the right
skills and around one in 20 businesses claim that a lack of talent is
putting them at risk of going under.